Visit to NATO HQ of the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-7)

On 23 and 24 April 2012, the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC) visited NATO Headquarters on a Field Study visit, organised by the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division (PASP).

The seventh NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-7) was welcomed at NATO Headquarters by the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division for a two-day programme that included meetings with NATO officials and Permanent Representatives on the North Atlantic Council.

The NRCC-7 received briefings on NATO’s New Strategic Concept, the Mediterranean and the Middle East by Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Countries Section, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, on NATO’s new Partnership Policy by Dr Jarek Skoniezka, Senior Director, Integration, Partnership and Cooperation Directorate, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, on NATO’s Military Cooperation in the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative by Major General Carlos Branco, Director Cooperation and Regional Secruity Division, International Military Staff, on NATO’s Operation in Libya by Major General Marcel Druart, Director Operations Division, NATO International Military Staff, on NATO-Russia relations by Dr Petr Lunak, Deputy Head, Partnership Section, Public Diplomacy Division, on NATO’s Military Command structure by Rear Admiral Robert Davidson, Director Plans and Policy, NATO International Military Staff. The group also received briefings from representatives of NATO’s two strategic commands, Colonel Frank Richter for Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and Major General Michel Yakovleff for Allied Command Operations (OPS).

The visit also included a series of high-level meetings with General Knud Bartels, Chairman of the North Atlantic Military Committee, with H.E. Ambassador Joâo Mira Gomes, the Permanent Representative of Portugal on the North Atlantic Council, with H.E. Ambassador Philippe Errera, Permanent Representative of France on the North Atlantic Council, with H.E. Todor Churov, the Permenant Representative of Bulgaria on the North Atlantic Council, with H.E. Ambassador Riccardo Sessa, the Permanent Representative of Italy on the North Atlantic Council and with Mr Joseph Manso, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States of America on the North Atlantic Council.

The NRCC is a direct response to NATO's HOSG decision in Riga in 2006 to launch the NATO Training Cooperation Initiative with the countries from the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), and the success of the NRCC is demonstrated by the growing interest from regional states. The seventh NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-7) has 25 participants, from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the USA.